Welcome to our service today. This is the last in our series looking at Hebrews 11 - Faith in a time of Crisis. Today we pick up on the theme of the whole of Hebrews which is about Jesus being better than anything/anyone else. The answer is always Jesus.....
Today is also Fathers Day and so we remember all of the Father figures in our lives - Dads, Granddads, Uncles, big brothers, those we call Uncle and the men in our church family who we celebrate and give thanks for. On Fathers Day we would normally give out a chocolate to all the men in our church family, but we're not able to do that today. There is, however, as part of the service an opportunity to give thanks for and celebrate those men who are a positive influence on our lives.
At 12.15pm we will be meeting on Zoom for a catch up and also to share in communion together. Please join us and remember your bread and wine. If you are not able to join us then the words for communion are at the end of this service, please join us in words and in time even if you cannot access zoom. The link is here
This week the work of the Community Family Project continues online and through the distribution of food we receive from Fareshare. Members and regular attenders should look out for a letter which will be available on the members section of the website (please ask for the password) which details the work of the Community Family Project - this will be a focus of our prayers in next weeks service.
Last week we sent out a letter and a video with our plans for coming out of lockdown (dependent on Government announcements). The video can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he86w3DKwYM&t=15s
There will be no Bible Study this week.
Worship
Psalm 68:4-5
Sing to God, sing in praise of his name
extol him who rides on the clouds
rejoice before him - his name is the Lord
A father to the fatherless, a defender of the widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
Here is a playlist for the service today - you might want to save the last one for the end.
Today the passage we are looking at in Hebrews 11:32-40 names a number of men who are good examples of heroes of the faith - good examples that show us how to live in the ways of God. We all have people we look up to, and it maybe that when you think of a hero, you might think of the person you particularly think about on Father's Day as one. What are the qualities of a hero? Who would you name as your hero? Here are some ideas from Explore Learning.
It might be that the person you think about today might not be as heroic as some of the people mentioned, but we can appreciate them and give thanks for them.
How are you celebrating those you look up to today? The Father figure in your lives or Mum who takes on the role of both Father and Mother? Who are the people in your life who are always there and you really want to say thankyou to? Maybe you could write them a letter or draw them a picture or make them a card to say how much you appreciate them.
We know that human beings are not perfect and get it wrong sometimes, so although we might see them as heroes, they are not always going to be hero-like. However, we know one hero - better than a worldly hero who will always be there for us and never let us down, and that is Jesus. Here is a song about Jesus the Superhero (with lego...... ) to learn and sing along to.
Today Enoch, one of our Elders is leading us in prayer
Simon reads scripture from Hebrews 11:32-40
Claire reflects on the passage with our sermon today
Communion
These are the words we will be using on zoom for communion. If you are not able to join us please use these words at home. Words adapted from liturgy written by Rachel Waitt, Associate Minister at Streatham Baptist Church
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier.... His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross… For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesians 2:14- 18
We are gathered as God’s united family to share communion to remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us, by which we are reconciled to God and to one another.
We gather in our separate homes, but together, round separate tables, but we are one. We come from different backgrounds and places, but we are family, and so together, we come.
Come to this table, not because you must but because you may,
not because you are strong, but because you are weak.
Come, because though we are all different we are united in Christ
Come, not because any goodness of your own gives you a right to come, but because you need mercy and help.
Come, because you love the Lord a little and would like to love him more.
Come, because he loved you and gave himself for you.
Come and meet the risen Christ, for we are his Body.
Let’s Pray
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The apostle Paul tells us of the institution of the Lord’s Supper:
(1 Corinthians 11.23–26)
“For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it
(Take up a piece of bread and break it)
and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’
Thanksgiving for the Bread
We give you thanks Lord for this bread,
a remembrance of your body –
in which we are united, but which was broken for us.
We thank you for your sacrifice upon the cross –
Your brokenness, so we can be made whole.
Take the bread and eat it, saying
“The body of Christ broken for me and I share it alongside my church family”
Pause and Pray
In the same way he also took the cup after supper, saying,
‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Drink the wine, saying
“The blood of Christ, poured out for me, and I drink it along with my church family”
We give you thanks for this wine,
a remembrance of your blood –
shed for us,
forgiving our sins against you and one another.
We thank you for your sacrifice
So that we can be reconciled to you and to one another.
Prayers of Intercession
Spend some time in prayer now, praying particularly for restoration and reconciliation. Over the last few weeks we have seen our broken world lived out in pain and suffering particularly for our BAME brothers and sisters. Lift up to God those who are hurting, lift one another up to God, and pray that this table might be a foretaste of the justice that is to come.